Britain's Next Bestseller...

 

 

Spotlight on Andrew Males. 

Author of '26 Miles To The Moon'

Hello my lovelies... So it's been a little while. (Apologies.) I've had quite a testing two weeks but I'm back now with a brand spanking new post. If you're a writer, aspiring or otherwise then this post may be of interest to you. If you're not, I hope you enjoy it all the same.

As I did previously with my 'All The Bright Places' post, I'm again going to split this one into two.

Part One 

 

So you may all be wondering... Who is Andrew Males?
First and foremost a husband, father and business analyst, Andy as he prefers to be called, is also the author of fictional novel, '26 Miles to the Moon.' (A romantic comedy about Jon Dunn - a nobody who is going nowhere in life until he answers a random email and finally takes a chance...)
Quite frankly I hadn't heard of Andy myself until I came across a feature in the 'Members' News' section of Writing Magazine.
He spoke of how his novel, 26 Miles to the Moon had been rejected by several agents. Now let's face it. We writers know that this is nothing unusual. For those of you who are sitting there lost... The book industry is a tough nut to crack. Winning the lottery is probably easier! However, knowing these facts does not stop the gut wrenching disheartened feeling that hits when your masterpiece, (often months of blood, sweat and tears) has been kicked to the curb. Not one to give up, (we writers are a tenacious breed) Andy decided to look into other avenues which could possibly fulfil his dream of publication... Cue route BNBS... The new book crowdfunding site Britain's Next Bestseller! 

Now if you're an unpublished, aspiring writer and haven't heard of this site then I definitely recommend you take a look. In a nutshell, you submit your manuscript to BNBS. If they approve your book then you'll be given a minimum pre-order sale target to achieve within a set time limit. The readers then decide who they want to see published. As BNBS says, it's a great opportunity to get a publishing deal based purely on the merit of your manuscript. Not to mention the fact you are guaranteed a publishing deal if your book achieves the minimum target. And as a reader, you get to check out the fresh new writing talent that's on offer. It's a lovely feeling to know you've supported new authors that might not otherwise have achieved publication.
Which leads me back to the main man in question. Andrew Males. His personal target was 250 which he smashed through in no time. I for one pre-ordered it and then set about trying to encourage others to do the same! Initially I got chatting to Andrew via Twitter (no surprise there... Twitter obsessive that I am) and so followed the idea to do a Q&A with him. I thought it would be a great insight for you all. Not just for the writers out there but for anyone with a dream. Because as Andrew himself has proven, with a lot of hard work and determination, you CAN make your dreams come true. Here is part one of my interview...

So Andrew, when did you know that you wanted to be a writer? At school, my teachers liked my stories, but it was only about eight years ago that I started writing again and realised that it was a perfect way to release my pent-up creative side.

       

What (apart from running marathons) gave you the idea or inspiration for this novel?

I wanted an adventure and a competition, something like Brewster's Millions. I love sci-fi and have a mild obsession with the Moon. I threw those ideas into the mixing bowl that is my brain and after cooking them for three weeks I'd got my plot.

Describe your average writing day.

When I was off work and writing daily it was:

Wake up. Think about the book and the 1500 words I have to write today.

Get up, get dressed, eat breakfast. Think of as many things as I can to delay starting writing.

Sit at my desk and read the previous day's work. Try not to cringe or go back and change anything.

Think of any last minute things I really, really need to do before I start typing. When did I last cut my toenails?

Write.

Resist the Dark Force that is the Internet. It's only a click away. Must. See. Sports. Headlines...

Find any excuse to stop and have lunch. Two and a Half Men, or Friends repeats. Maybe Bear Grylls, as I'm sure I might need survival tips in the wilderness of Stevenage.

Think of more things I need to do before resuming writing.

Write.

Reach 1500 words.

Do a little dance.

Make a little love.

Get down tonight.

(Or maybe just the first one).

Wait for girlfriend (now wife) to come home from work to tell her all about it the very second she steps through the door.

How long did it take you to write 26 Miles?

First draft: 3.5 months of 1500 words a day.

After that, a lot of editing, on and off, over the next 3.5 years. 

And what do you want the reader to take away from this particular story?

I'd like them to be inspired - to take a risk in life and see where it may lead. Failing that, just some LOLs.  

Tell us an inspirational quote that you love or that means something to you. 
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." - F. Bueller, 1986.

 

To be continued...

The man himself. Andrew Males

In part two I'll be sharing my personal opinion of 26 Miles to the Moon. This is where Andrew runs and hides... ;)

If you fancy grabbing yourself a copy then just click here! If you've already read it then please do leave your own feedback in the comments box below.

Until next time... I hope you have a fantastic week. Don't work too hard! Love GGD xxx

Links 

Website: Andrew Males 

Email: andy@andrewmales.com

Twitter: @andrewdmales 

'26 Miles to the Moon'... Available on Amazon

10 Hopefuls. 26 Miles. 1 Target: The Moon. 

Jon Dunn is a nobody, going nowhere in life. But that all changes when he answers a random email that puts him on a journey that'll take him so far out of his comfort zone, he'll need a telescope just to look back at it...Read more of the book blurb on Amazon.